Contents tagged with Ukraine

  • Separatists in Donbas use the exchange of prisoners as leverage over Ukraine

    Former President Leonid Kuchma, the second President of independent Ukraine and current representative of the Ukrainian government to the Trilateral Contact Group, stated that separatists in Donbas use the exchange of prisoners as leverage over Ukraine, when in fact many of those prisoners could be deceased by now.

    “The last time, we negotiated twice on the number of prisoners to be exchanged. Representatives of the separatists came and negotiations started anew. Delaying this process is their …

  • Despite Frequent Power Cuts, Russian Authorities in Crimea Say Electricity Supply Is 'Stable'

    Russian authorities in Crimea provided three straight hours of electricity to homes and called the power supply situation ‘completely stable.’ The press service reported on January 24th that industry works and that the supplied power came to 48 megawatts. The power supply priorities have changed.

    In the past, homes were disconnected from the electrical grid three times a day for 2 hours at a time. This was a problem because heavy frosts—17 degrees below zero—plagued Crimea.

    On the 30th of …

  • Poroshenko: Ukraine Expects $7 Billion Loan from IMF

    Ukraine expects the allocation of $7 billion from the International Monetary Fund this year, reported the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, in an interview with CNN.

    Information about the upcoming loan installment was posted on Twitter by the Administration of the President. Previously on Twitter, Poroshenko said that the IMF may allocate another loan in February 2016. "Ukraine expects the next allocation from the IMF in February 2016," said Poroshenko.

    Previously it was also reported …

  • Yatsenyuk Outlines Priorities of Cabinet of Ministers in 2016

    According to Ukrainian Prime Minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, the Ukrainian government in 2016 will implement policies aimed at opening new markets for Ukrainian products and creating new workplaces, as reported by the Glavnoe, citing Yatsenyuk during the program "10 minutes with the Prime Minister."

    "We will concentrate our forces on gaining all the possible advantages offered by the free trade zone agreement with the EU. A separate area of work will focus on the special trade missions of our …

  • Poroshenko: 'Geneva Plus' Provides a Road Map for the Return of Crimea to Ukraine

    An international platform, tentatively referred to as ‘Geneva Plus,’ would provide a number of measures for freeing Crimea from Russian occupation, according to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Proposed measures would range from sanctions, international pressure, and the release of illegally detained Ukrainians, to the judicial protection of the interests of Ukraine in international courts, as stated by Poroshenko in an interview with Ukrainian TV channels on Sunday, January 24th.

    "In …

  • Ukraine Ministry of Defense: 300 people have died from swine flu in Donbas region

    On January 24th, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that approximately 300 people were killed by the H1N1 swine flu virus or acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) in Donetsk. The occupation authorities of the Donbas region are unable to provide the local population with needed medical care, leading to an outbreak of the illnesses. The Chief Directorate of Intelligence noted that tensions in the Donbas conflict continue unabated.

    The Deputy Minister of Health Care of Ukraine, Igor …

  • Yatsenyuk Advocates Holding a Referendum on Constitutional Amendments

    Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk advocated holding a referendum on the adoption of a new Constitution. According to RIA Novosti, on January 24th Yatsenyuk stated that “The time has come for Ukrainian people to say what the Constitution should be in new European Ukraine. None but Ukrainians have the rights to determine the fundamental law.”

    Five days prior, it was reported that a group of deputies registered in Verkhovna Rada the draft law “On the procedure for the formulation of the …

  • Poroshenko: Constitutional Changes will exclude 'Special Status' for Regions

    Decentralization and constitutional changes will exclude the adoption of laws on “special status” for any of the regions as stated by the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, at a meeting of the Association of Towns of Ukraine in Kiev.

    "Decentralization and constitutional change, on the contrary, discourages attempts to create laws granting "special status" for any city, region or territory," Poroshenko said.

    According to the President, the forces that are trying to stop the process of …

  • Ukroboronprom: US and Ukraine to Cooperate In Arms Production

    Representatives of the State Concern Ukroboronprom met with American delegates led by the Deputy Secretary of State, Frank Rose, to discuss the implementation of joint projects in the production of modern weapons and increased cooperation in the security sector.

    “The U.S side is ready to contribute to the development processes of Ukraine and hopes for its success,” Rose noted. He said that American experts have pointed out qualitative changes in the work of Ukroboronprom. Ukraine and the US …

  • Ukraine asks for Canada's support in trade controversy with Russia

    The Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Natalie Jaresko, held a meeting with Canada's Federal Minister of International Trade, Chrystia Freeland, where she asked for Canadian support in the trade dispute with Russia within the World Trade Organization (WTO). RNS reported that the meeting took place at the Davos World Economic Forum, and the details were posted on Jaresko’s Facebook page.

    "Today I had a pleasant meeting with the Minister of International Trade of Canada and my good old friend …